The city is home to one of Europe's best annual hot air balloon festivals. And fans of historic feats of engineering should make time to visit the Clifton district to walk across the scenic Avon Gorge on Isambard Kingdom Brunel's beautiful Clifton Suspension Bridge.

By Bus

National Express Coaches from London to Bath take about two hours and 45 minutes cost from £5 each way depending upon how far in advance you buy your tickets and what time you travel.

Generally, there are a limited number of cheaper tickets for every trip which, naturally, are sold out first. Buses travel between Victoria Coach Station in London and Bristol Coach Station regularly throughout the day.

Bus tickets can be purchased online. There may be a booking fee from 50 pence to £2 depending upon the type of ticket you buy.

Paper tickets, e-tickets that you print yourself and m-tickets for mobile phones are all available from the website.

Bristol is directly west of London - 118 miles from Trafalgar Square via the M4 motorway. Depending upon the traffic, it can take anywhere from two to three hours to drive.

Keep in mind that gasoline, called petrol in the UK, is sold by the liter (a little more than a quart) and the price is usually between $1.50 and $2 a quart. Parking in Bristol may also be expensive but there are several Park and Ride options on the outskirts of the city that are quite reasonably priced.

UK Travel Tip: The route between London and Bath is also one of London's major commuter routes and the main road from Heathrow Airport to London. Traffic jams that are virtual standstills can happen at any time of day.

If you plan only a day trip, train or coach travel makes more sense. But if you do plan to drive, there is plenty to do for an overnight trip with more than enough to keep you busy for a couple of days.

If You Do Decide to Stay

We can highly recommend the Hotel du Vin in the center of Bristol. It's luxury at comparatively moderate prices, dog friendly and has a good restaurant.Plus it's right in the middle of things. Read our review of the Hotel du Vin.